Yet Another Newb Question...

[roguewarrior155]

I am new to PC war-gaming - totally new. I am interested in military tactics and strategy games, and I am purchasing 'Battle Academy'(1) this Friday. This game is listed on Slitherine as 'Complexity: Introduction', so my question for all you veteran PC gamers is this - what other military tactics / strategy games - at an 'Introduction' level, would you recommend? The particular war or weapons doesn't matter, I just don't want to jump in over my head and find myself overwhelmed and discouraged, as happened to me years ago with board games. Thanks in advance and my apologies if this type of question comes up frequently.

[Rosseau]

I haven't checked the price difference - it could be significant - but Battle Academy 2 would be the better game and not add to complexity. Both games are also great for multiplayer.

Unity of Command is also a good starter game. But wait for a sale on Steam, as you can get the whole series for virtually nothing.

Have fun

Mike

[roguewarrior155]

Thanks Mike! I'm checking out both as soon as I send this...I do appreciate the tips!

C.

[James Taylor]

It might be a little more definitive if we knew what board games you considered as overwhelming?

[roguewarrior155]

Hello James, Thanks for the response. Its been too many years to remember the titles, but one was a D-Day game and the logistics alone seemed overwhelming - and that was before the shooting started. The other that I recall was a Gettysburg game that seemed like it wouldn't be too tough to learn (due to familiarity with the battle), but once it took off it was rather involved. Looking back I realize half the problem - or maybe ALL the problem - was that I was a new, entry-level player playing with guys who were already 'up and running' and once the games got started it was tough to be 'the new guy'. So now I'm ready to re-visit war-gaming at a basic, introductory level and hopefully a more discernible pace.

[rico21]

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[aaatoysandmore]

ORIGINAL: roguewarrior155

I am new to PC war-gaming - totally new. I am interested in military tactics and strategy games, and I am purchasing 'Battle Academy'(1) this Friday. This game is listed on Slitherine as 'Complexity: Introduction', so my question for all you veteran PC gamers is this - what other military tactics / strategy games - at an 'Introduction' level, would you recommend? The particular war or weapons doesn't matter, I just don't want to jump in over my head and find myself overwhelmed and discouraged, as happened to me years ago with board games. Thanks in advance and my apologies if this type of question comes up frequently.

Check out BundleStars.com last I checked they had both Battle Academy 1 and 6 DLC AND Battle Academy 2 and 1 DLC for $4.99

[James Taylor]

D-Day & Gettysburg, I'm assuming Avalon Hill vintage. Those are operational level games, known as the mid-scale of wargaming, tactics and strategic being the lower and upper scales.

Battle Academy is the tactical scale, with ranged combat and platoon/squad sized units, individual combat vehicles, is that what you are looking for because that is different from the previous board games you've played?

[James Taylor]

A simple strategic level game I would suggest is over at Battlefront called Strategic Command and there is a demo unit to try.

Hubert Cater is the developer and he's here in the SC3 forum, but SC version 3 is a little more complicated than the original.

If you want a basic move and fight game with some national orientation as far as research and production of different unit types, SC does that in the European theater of WW2.

Try it before buying, which goes for a lot of games out there. There are lots of demos, get a feel for what you want and then pull the trigger.

Panzer Corps and Order of Battle are a few others that are simple, yet will give you a feel of a good computer interfaced game that you should orient yourself to.

[MrsWargamer]

Further votes for Battle Academy and Panzer Corps.

Quick simple interfaces, no trouble getting into the game.

Now you won't necessarily win without some effort eh.

Remember, Chess is easy to learn and easy to play, but that doesn't mean you get to win

[DonCzirr]

I like the Crisis in Command games for entry level.

Drive on Moscow and Battle of the Bulge.

Area based games with not too many pieces ... and fun to play.

[Frido1207]

ORIGINAL: DonCzirr
Drive on Moscow and Battle of the Bulge.
Area based games with not too many pieces ... and fun to play.

+1

Also worth to mention imo are:
- Victory & Glory: Napoleon
- Vietnam 65
- Gettysburg: The Tide Turns

[Kuokkanen]

Many excellent beginner games have already been mentioned, so I throw out 2 that haven't been mentioned yet. Sengoku Jidai is (almost) all about Japan in the Warring States period (it's in the title, duh). You may have heard/seen about Total War game series, right? Sengoku Jidai is much like that, but turn based. Game engine is the same as in the Battle Academy series, but scale is different (companies-battalions instead of squads) and there are some game play changes (facing matters whole damn lot). Anyway you can have some victories on easier difficulty settings, but winning on the harder levels requires you to understand in good detail how the game works. Read the manual.

Steel Panthers: World at War is the same scale as Battle Academy series, but is bit more detailed and maps are hexes instead squares. But game is free-of-charge, so you can try it and delete it with only cost being your Internet connection and bandwidth to download the game. SPWAW and Steel Panthers series in general have been the first serious war games for many, and they have managed. I played the first game of the series with only partial understanding of the English language and almost no understanding at all about the terminology (what is 'tank destroyer'?), and I managed. You can too.

[Red2112]

All great suggestions, but for some reason the game below always get´s overlooked!

Germany at War: Barbarrosa 1941 Great basic game that´s IMHO a bit above the Panzer Corps, Order of Battle, Battle Academy level´s...
http://www.matrixgames.com/store/472/Germany.at.War.Barbarossa.1941

[aaatoysandmore]

ORIGINAL: Red2112

All great suggestions, but for some reason the game below always get´s overlooked!

Germany at War: Barbarrosa 1941 Great basic game that´s IMHO a bit above the Panzer Corps, Order of Battle, Battle Academy level´s...
http://www.matrixgames.com/store/472/Germany.at.War.Barbarossa.1941

If you're going to get GaW: Barbarossa you might as well get The Operational Art of War and get tons of scenarios and a full campaign of the Operation Barbarossa with mini scenarios within it. Then you get other theaters and campaigns and scenario's also for $10 more than GaW: Barbarossa.

[Red2112]

Sure but don´t you think ToW is more complex then GaW to someone new to this? Unless we are talking about earlier versions of ToW III of which I have no idea of there learning curve...

[roguewarrior155]

Thanks, aaa...I checked out BundleStars and you are indeed correct...they have both Battle Academy's and DLC's for an amazingly LOW price, I really appreciate the tip and I am going to hit them up in a few. Also as I gain a bit of experience I look forward to checking out your suggestion regarding 'The Operational Art of War', it looks like a lot of fun...thanks again!

C.

[roguewarrior155]

Thanks for the tip, Red2112...I checked it out and 'Germany at War: Barbarossa 1941' is one of the games specifically listed as 'Complexity: Basic', and it looks like an interesting intro to the war on the Eastern front.

Thanks again,

C.

[roguewarrior155]

edited

[roguewarrior155]

Yes, they were probably AH boardgames, and thanks for clarifying tactical, operational, and strategic scales. I am hoping to start/learn from the ground up, so I would think squad/platoon sized-units and basic infantry tactics - 'move and shoot' - on that small level would present an easy-to-learn and FUN-to-play format.
I also like your 'Panzer Corp' and 'Order of Battle' recs, they look like a lot of fun and should add nicely to my knowledge base. After I read your post I found 'Order of Battle' (somewhere) for free, and Panzer Corp seems to be everyone's go-to game for newbs.
I checked out Battlefront's 'Strategic Command:European Theater of WWII' and it is on my bucket list as well.
I really appreciate the helpful and informative post, and now to roll up the sleeves and start shootin'.
I'll file some after-action reports as I continue to progress.

Thanks again,

C.